Heat Transfer and Hydraulic Resistance in Nuclear Fuel Rods

Abstract

This chapter briefly describes the fundamental concepts of heat transfer and hydraulic resistance in water-cooled nuclear reactors, more specifically the nuclear fuel assemblies. There are two key areas in nuclear thermal-hydraulics, namely heat transfer and hydraulic resistance with and without phase change. Boiling and condensation play a critical role in water-cooled nuclear reactors as these are needed for the design, operation and safety analysis of nuclear reactors. The common models used in the nuclear industry are described in this chapter.